Marijuana Blog

NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) -- Federal officials are reporting a record seizure of marijuana at an Arizona crossing on the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have scheduled a Tuesday afternoon news conference to provide details on the seizure of more than 10 tons of marijuana at the Mariposa port of entry on the outskirts of Nogales.

That busy crossing point is used by commercial traffic, including trucks hauling Mexican produce into the United States.

According to the CPB, the seizure surpasses the previous record seizure in Arizona of 14,121 pounds, or slightly over 7 tons, of marijuana on Jan. 15.

The agency says the seized marijuana is valued at more than $10.1 million.

While cannabis gains more support from the citizens, the media is becoming an outlet for pro-marijuana ads. Since 58% of Americans support legalizing the plant, it's become the proper time to begin promoting through advertisements that are put on blast for everyone to see. Now that the ads are being put out, those against the plant are beginning to worry... For all the wrong reasons.

The argument that protestors give against the ads being published is that they will increase the use of marijuana among young users. If this was, in fact, a valid argument, then the beer ads should be pulled off the air as well because those are far more pushy about using the product advertised than the cannabis ads. While alcohol commercials depict either classy lifestyles or fun times at the beach, the cannabis ads look more like something that would be seen on a doctors office wall.

Since the ads are being run to promote citizens voting "yes" on certain bills passing cannabis, they are protected by the First Amendment. Thankfully, the ads are designed to change a low and they have to be allowed since freedom of speech is still one of the rights we have left. But again, the protesters have some rebuttal. Instead of seeing the positive change, all their eyes portray is the allowance of an illegal substance that they really know nothing about. They always come back to the fact that they feel that they're defending their kids.

Marijuana may not be good for child consumption. There's definitely more research needed on that topic for sure. However, by blocking out the world for children will prevent them from developing the coping skills needed to survive in the world today. If the parents think that by not allowing their children to see the opposite opinion will "save" them, they're very wrong. Kids are extremely smart. Whether they are sheltered while growing up or not, when they are old enough, they will make their own choice, regardless of what the parent thinks.

Three Utah doctors, including a neurologist from the University of Utah, have announced their support for allowing medical cannabis extracts (such as tinctures) and oils to be used by children who suffer from seizures.

In a letter sent to the state’s Controlled Substances Advisory Committee, pediatric neurologist Dr. Francis Filloux said that liquid forms of medical cannabis high in cannabinoids are a promising option for treating children with epilepsy. He says that refusing to legalize the substance would be “making the decision to limit access of our children to a potentially life-improving therapy”.

State Representative Gage Froerer, a Republican from Huntsville, will be introducing a measure in the upcoming legislative session which would legalize medical cannabis extracts for children with epilepsy. His proposal would allow cannabis products such as cannabis oils to be imported and exported in the state, as long as they have relatively low levels of THC.

Advocates in Utah should be contacting their lawmakers – which they can look up by clicking here - and urge them to support this commonsense move towards allowing children with epilepsy to use a natural, nonlethal and nonnarcotic treatment to their condition.